Wheel structures, at least in North American model wheels, normally comprise a central hub opening surrounded by a regular arrangement of spaced-apart bolt holes for securement to the axle. Such wheel structures are still the most common.
However, with the advent of magnesium wheels and other more exotic or sophisticated forms of wheels, the structure of wheels has led to the provision of radial reinforcing ribs and the provision of a great variety of bolt hole configurations.
The accommodation and restraining of these latter types of wheels on conventional tire-changing machines has been awkward and time-consuming.
The conventional tire-changing machine has a central post which passes through the central hub hole of the wheel and a second, hinged, pointed shaft which engages a selected one of the bolt holes on the wheel web. A threaded collar mounted on the central post completes the wheel securement.
With the "exotic" wheel forms the securement cannot be effected as with the more common wheel.
At present these "exotic" wheels are secured by means of a plate and pins.
The plate has a central opening which fits over the central post and a plurality of holes therein. These holes are so arranged that they will accommodate the different configurations of bolt holes in the wheels. The operator in using these plates initially mounts the plate on the central post, consults a chart which instructs him as to the appropriate selection of holes for the particular model wheel and aligns the designated holes with bolt holes in accordance with the chart indications. A collar then secures the plate to the central post and a series of pins are passed through the plate to engage the bolt holes in the wheel and restrain the wheel from movement. The collar prevents movement of the wheel rim along or up the post and the pins which extend through the plate to engage the bolt holes restrain the wheel from rotational movement around the post.